It's taken nearly five years to get here, but Remedy Entertainment's "Alan Wake" finally sees the light of day this week.
It's taken nearly five years to get here, but Remedy Entertainment's "Alan Wake" finally sees the light of day this week.
Looking back, it's hard to believe that "Alan Wake" was originally announced at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo. Since that time, the game has remained largely hidden from the prying eyes of gamers, with Remedy offering only an occasional screenshot to appease a nervous fan base that no doubt worried the game would become the next "Duke Nukem Forever."
With the release of "Alan Wake" this week, gamers can finally lay those fears to rest.
But now that the game has finally arrived, the question sure to asked by Xbox 360 owners who have been not-so-patiently waiting is simple -- does "Alan Wake" live up to five years worth of hype? The answer is, in a word, absolutely.
While it is not the console-defining title that some had predicted, "Alan Wake" is an excellent example of interactive storytelling and one of the most engrossing video games I've had the pleasure of playing.
The story of protagonist Alan Wake begins in Bright Falls, Wash., where the accomplished author and his wife, Alice, are vacationing in an attempt to jump-start Wake's desire to complete his next book. Soon after arriving in the town, however, it becomes clear that things are not as they seem. And once Alice goes missing, it's up to Wake to solve the mystery of her disappearance and unravel the secrets that are hidden beneath the surface of the quaint-looking town.
To give away any more details would spoil the brilliantly crafted story, but know that "Alan Wake" clearly draws inspiration from the written works of Stephen King and such television shows as "X-Files," "Twin Peaks" and "Fringe." The game even follows a TV-like structure, complete with cliff-hangers at the end of chapters and "Previously on ..." recaps before each new episode. A true psychological thriller, "Alan Wake" kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end, and even left me scratching my head a few times as I tried to digest what I had just witnessed.
You control Wake from start to finish, but he isn't the only memorable character you'll encounter. Wake's agent, Barry, provided some comic relief during especially tense moments and many of the citizens of Bright Falls have interesting back stories. Speaking of Bright Falls, Remedy did a remarkable job of recreating a believable Anytown, USA. From the storefronts on Main Street to the lush forests that surround the town, everything looks amazingly realistic. This is especially true for the wooded areas you explore. Once night falls, finding your way through the woods is a difficult task as shadows begin to play tricks with your mind. I actually got lost a couple of times while trying to find my way through a couple of particular areas.
While the story and characters earn high marks, I was less impressed with the gun play in "Alan Wake." The use of light as a weapon in combat situations is certainly unique and works well most of the time. As Wake fights off the dangers that lurk in the night, he must first weaken them by exposing them to light before he can finish them off with a well-placed bullet from a pistol, shotgun or deer rifle. Flares and flash bangs serve as heavy weapons, and there are plenty items in the environment that can be used to your advantage. Enemies often descend upon you en masse, which can lead to some tense moments as you search for the next safe haven provided by a street light or portable generator.
It's taken nearly five years to get here, but Remedy Entertainment's "Alan Wake" finally sees the light of day this week.
Looking back, it's hard to believe that "Alan Wake" was originally announced at the 2005 Electronic Entertainment Expo. Since that time, the game has remained largely hidden from the prying eyes of gamers, with Remedy offering only an occasional screenshot to appease a nervous fan base that no doubt worried the game would become the next "Duke Nukem Forever."
With the release of "Alan Wake" this week, gamers can finally lay those fears to rest.
But now that the game has finally arrived, the question sure to asked by Xbox 360 owners who have been not-so-patiently waiting is simple -- does "Alan Wake" live up to five years worth of hype? The answer is, in a word, absolutely.
While it is not the console-defining title that some had predicted, "Alan Wake" is an excellent example of interactive storytelling and one of the most engrossing video games I've had the pleasure of playing.
The story of protagonist Alan Wake begins in Bright Falls, Wash., where the accomplished author and his wife, Alice, are vacationing in an attempt to jump-start Wake's desire to complete his next book. Soon after arriving in the town, however, it becomes clear that things are not as they seem. And once Alice goes missing, it's up to Wake to solve the mystery of her disappearance and unravel the secrets that are hidden beneath the surface of the quaint-looking town.
To give away any more details would spoil the brilliantly crafted story, but know that "Alan Wake" clearly draws inspiration from the written works of Stephen King and such television shows as "X-Files," "Twin Peaks" and "Fringe." The game even follows a TV-like structure, complete with cliff-hangers at the end of chapters and "Previously on ..." recaps before each new episode. A true psychological thriller, "Alan Wake" kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end, and even left me scratching my head a few times as I tried to digest what I had just witnessed.
You control Wake from start to finish, but he isn't the only memorable character you'll encounter. Wake's agent, Barry, provided some comic relief during especially tense moments and many of the citizens of Bright Falls have interesting back stories. Speaking of Bright Falls, Remedy did a remarkable job of recreating a believable Anytown, USA. From the storefronts on Main Street to the lush forests that surround the town, everything looks amazingly realistic. This is especially true for the wooded areas you explore. Once night falls, finding your way through the woods is a difficult task as shadows begin to play tricks with your mind. I actually got lost a couple of times while trying to find my way through a couple of particular areas.
While the story and characters earn high marks, I was less impressed with the gun play in "Alan Wake." The use of light as a weapon in combat situations is certainly unique and works well most of the time. As Wake fights off the dangers that lurk in the night, he must first weaken them by exposing them to light before he can finish them off with a well-placed bullet from a pistol, shotgun or deer rifle. Flares and flash bangs serve as heavy weapons, and there are plenty items in the environment that can be used to your advantage. Enemies often descend upon you en masse, which can lead to some tense moments as you search for the next safe haven provided by a street light or portable generator.
But battling the same generic enemies over and over again soon becomes tedious, and I quickly began to view combat as a necessary evil that I had to endure in order to push the story forward. That's not to say that the combat is bad, it just could have been better.
It took me about 10 hours to finish "Alan Wake," though I didn't try to find all of the collectibles scattered throughout Bright Falls. Beating the game unlocks the Nightmare difficulty level, and playing through the game again on this level is the only way to uncover all of the hidden items. While there's not a ton of replay value here, Microsoft and Remedy have already announced a new DLC episode for later this summer.
For me, playing "Alan Wake" was an emotional experience. I was excited to actually have the game in my hands, saddened to see the end credits roll and thoroughly entertained in between. The wait may have been torturous, but Remedy has indeed delivered the goods. Hopefully we won't have to wait quite so long for a sequel.
"Alan Wake"
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Available for: Xbox 360 ($59.99)
Rating: M for mature
Score: 9.1/10
